Forbidden
by Penelope Applegate
Summary: "If you want to be with him so bad, if this is so wrong, then why do you keep coming back to me?" Two mystery men, but which will she choose? Don't spoil the fun - review with your guesses before you get to the end.
1. Chapter 1

This was wrong.

_So_ wrong.

And yet so right.

Hands touching, exploring, lips pressing, pushing, light sighs falling from eager mouths.

This was wrong.

She told him so.

He breathed heavily against her neck, then nibbled lightly at her sensitive skin. "How can this be wrong when it feels... so incredibly right?"

"I promised myself to him."

"And?"

"I'm serious."

"None of that matters, and you know it."

"It _does_ matter. I... I gave him my word."

"I love you."

She shivered. "That changes nothing," she insisted rather unconvincingly.

He chuckled at her discomfort. "Doesn't it?"

She pressed her mouth to his hungrily, desperate to fulfill the aching need within her. He nibbled at her lip, sucking, pulling, and teasing. She gripped his shoulders to steady herself. "Please..." she begged weakly.

He sighed, his impatience beginning to show. "If you want to be with him so bad, if this is so wrong, then why do you keep coming back to me?"

She paused, astounded at his piercing words. "Wh... What?" she stammered, stalling for time, searching in her mind for the right response.

He pressed his forehead to hers. "Don't play with me, Katara. Don't do that," he said roughly, his lips brushing against hers with his every word. "Don't keep giving me false hope if you don't intend to ever leave him..."

"I..." Tears sprang to her eyes. "It's not that easy! Why are you so adamant that I have to choose?" she lashed out, surprising herself with the force behind her heated words.

He stepped back, obviously shaken. "You don't intend to ever choose."

She immediately regretted her haste. "No..."

"You're going to choose him."

"Wait..."

"Why are you doing this to me? Why are you wasting my time?"

"Oh, come off it!" Irritation overtook her. "As if you haven't done the same to me before. As if you haven't-"

"Is that what this is? Revenge?"

"No, I - I... _Stop_ that!"

"Stop what?"

"Stop... stop doing _that_... Stop telling me what I'm feeling, stop..." Her words trailed away as she gazed up at him helplessly.

He took her back in his arms. "I love you."

"I know," she mumbled against the fabric of his soft robes.

"I can't let you slip through my fingers again."

She clamped her eyes shut, wishing the world and its expectations would simply dissolve into thin air. She wished it _were_ just that easy. "I need to get back."

"Katara..."

"If he comes looking for me, I... I just need to get back."

"Please." His words rang with desperation.

"I have to _go_."

He crushed his lips to hers once more, robbing her of air for a moment until she found her bearings again. Her arms found their way around his neck. He took that as encouragement, pressing her back against the wall, forcing his tongue into her mouth and deepening the kiss until she felt her knees were going to give out beneath her.

This was _so_ wrong.

But it felt _so_ right.

**A/N: Any idears, people? I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions : )**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	2. Chapter 2

He came to her as she was sliding into her bed, heart pounding and lips tingling. Her doorknob turned, and she collapsed into the sheets, feigning sleep. A dim light was cast across the room as he paused in her doorway. She heard the door click shut, but she knew he hadn't gone.

Her bed sank under his weight, and then she felt his hand on her cheek, smoothing her hair away from her face. "Katara," he whispered, almost as if he were afraid to wake her.

She forced a drowsy groan, raising a hand to rub at her eyes. When she opened them, she saw her smiling down at her under the faint glow of the moon. "I couldn't sleep," he explained needlessly. He was her betrothed; he needed no reason to visit her.

She rolled onto her back and opened her arms to him. He fell into her embrace, nestling against her. "I love you," he murmured as he kissed her tenderly.

Guilt flooded her body. "I love you, too," she managed. Her mouth felt dry; her throat was scratchy. Could he see through her? Did he know?

He kissed her neck softly, running his hand down her side. "You smell so good," he breathed.

Her heart pounded furiously in her chest. "Mmm," she hummed.

"Soon enough, my love. Just two more weeks."

She shivered involuntarily, hoping he wouldn't notice. Two weeks. Two weeks to figure out what she was doing, what she wanted, what she needed... It didn't seem like enough. Two weeks to break someone's heart.

"Two weeks," she echoed numbly.

He chuckled. "Do you think you can wait until then?"

She tried to smile. "I don't know. Can you?"

His eyes burned into her, melting her very core. "I don't know," he replied honestly.

"Hmmm."

He kissed her nose, then pushed himself up on his arms. "I'll let you go back to sleep. I'm sorry for waking you. I just needed to be near you again."

She kissed him, hard, on the lips. He responded immediately, settling back down against her and tangling his fingers in her hair. He tasted so familiar, so... _comfortable_.

_Was comfortable what she wanted?_

She broke off the kiss abruptly. "Two weeks," she said lamely, her cheeks flaming.

He grinned down at her. "Two weeks."

He left alone, then, to stare off into the darkness with her muddled thoughts and mixed emotions.

**A/N: Oooer. Insane. : )**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	3. Chapter 3

She woke to the sun glaring down at her through the blinds and squeezed her eyes shut, rolling over and pulling the pillow over her head. In the South Pole, there were months of night spent under the light of the softly glowing moon. She loved the moon, even considered the moon a friend, especially since the moon spirit really _was_ a friend. She wasn't sure if she would ever get used to this year-round sun-by-day, moon-by-night deal. As cold and lonely and dull as the Southern Water Tribe village could be, it was home... and sometimes, she just wanted to go home.

There was a loud rapping at her door. She groaned in protest, but the doors to her bed chamber flew open anyway.

"Rise and shine!" flowed the melodious voice of her dressmaker, Sachi.

"No rise. No shine," Katara grumbled into her pillow.

"Two weeks, my dear, that is all we have to make this gown _perfect_. It's time for another fitting - now _rise_. Shining is optional." Sachi flitted from window to window, pulling open the blinds and allowing yet more sunlight to flood the room.

_I hate the dress. I don't want to wear it. I don't even know if I want to get married._

She kept her sour thoughts to herself.

Sachi parked herself next to Katara's bed. Her head was still buried beneath her pillow, but she could clearly imagine the dressmaker's irritated stance - hands on hips, pert little pink lips twisted into a comically unhappy frown, and head cocked to the side in what she probably thought was a menacing manner.

"Let's go, Master Katara. You're wasting away my sunlight," Sachi pressed, tapping her foot impatiently.

"I hate sunlight," Katara griped, tightening her grip on her pillow.

"What was that, my dear?"

Katara sat up suddenly, throwing the pillow across the room in frustration. "Just make it quick," she muttered obstinately.

Sachi clapped her hands together. "Marvelous. Ladies, do come in, please!" she called in the direction of the hallway. Two young assistants entered the room, heads down as they closed the doors behind them, shuffling their feet as they toddled to their master's side. They carried between them the massive, lace-ridden monstrosity that was to be Katara's wedding gown.

"Up, up, up!" Sachi directed Katara, lifting her arms in the air as if that might serve as further motivation. Katara directed her steely blue eyes at the perky dressmaker, but the woman's cheery demeanor did not flinch. "You're such a sour sport in the mornings, aren't you?" Sachi laughed. _That_ was an understatement.

Katara begrudgingly rolled herself out of bed, allowing Sachi to direct her to the center of the room, where she immediately began to de-robe and re-dress Katara. Katara's thoughts drifted elsewhere as the woman worked.

_He_ had left _her_. Years ago, he'd dropped her like a fiery ember with no explanation, turning his back on her completely. Granted, she'd seen him several times in the years since then, but their reunions were always awkward and stilted. Only when he'd learned of her engagement had he _really_ returned to her... with a passionate fervor that swept her off her feet.

Oh, she knew it was wrong. Everything about this - about him - about _them_ - was awfully wrong. She was angry at him for waiting so long. What had he really expected her to do? Shrivel up and die? Remain single for the rest of her life? What right had he to come back and steal her heart away just when she had finally promised it to someone else for the rest of her life?

"Ouch!" Katara cried, flinching at the prick of a needle stabbing her in her thigh.

The timorous assistant peeked up at her with pitiably skittish eyes. "Sorry, madam..."

Katara huffed, crossing her arms in front of her, but Sachi immediately uncrossed them, tugging them down to the side.

"Ah-ah-ah!" she reprimanded the bride. "Arms out of my way!"

The Spirits were punishing her for her infidelity. She was sure of it.

**A/N: Sachi is a Japanese name meaning "Child of Joy." Heh.**

**Lovin your guesses. You guys are sweet : )**

**And obviously, this wedding is looking to be pretty grand, so her fiancé must be a pretty influential man.**

**See? I'm not so mean. I helped you find another clue. AND this chapter was just a tid bittle longer.**

**Keep it comin.**

**XOXO,  
****Penny**


	4. Chapter 4

She ran into him in the hall later that day.

"What-"

"Shh!" He pressed a finger to her lips, taking her hand and dragging her away. She found herself in a very dimly lit room that looked as if it was hardly ever used.

"What are you-"

"Hush." He took her in his arms, silencing her with his spine-tingling, knee-weakening embrace. Their mouths crashed together clumsily in their blind passion. Somehow, she found herself being pushed back onto a large, plush couch, though she hardly thought to mind. His hands ran up and down her sides, gripping her tightly in all the right places and caressing her gently where she desired it most.

She cradled his face in her hands, urging him closer to her, deepening their maddeningly delicious kiss. She breathed deep, bathing her senses in his scent, light yet sensually powerful. Her heart skipped a beat as his fingers inched closer to her chest, lingering when she shivered beneath him. She had her robes and her bindings between them, but for a moment, she felt as if she wore nothing, as if she were fully exposed...

"_No_." She shoved him away from her and slid out from beneath him, scrambling to her feet blindly in the dark. "I can't keep doing this..."

She heard him sit up on the couch behind her, but he sat in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry... I..."

She whirled on him angrily. Her braids stung when they slapped against her warm cheeks. "_Are_ you sorry? Are you really? You _left_ me! How could you - how could you... I _needed_ you..." She began to dissolve; her sentences ceased to make sense. Tears streamed down her face as she fell to her knees, burying her face in her hands.

"Katara..." he whispered, kneeling next to her and wrapping an arm around her. "I really _am_ sorry... It's just... Back then... you and I... we wouldn't have worked - can't you see that?"

"And we'll work now?" she demanded, glancing up in his direction. She was thankful for the blanket of shadow enveloping the room. Hopefully, he wasn't able to clearly see the pained expression on her face that she simply could not fight any longer.

He sighed in resignation. "I don't know," he admitted.

"Just... just stop playing games with me..."

"Will you leave him?"

"What?"

"If I ask you to, will you leave him? Will you be with me?"

"I..."

"It's a simple question, Katara."

She leapt to her feet, knocking him off balance as she went. "It's _not_ that easy, and you know it. I... I fell in love with him while you were away. I _still _love him. I can't just break his heart like that."

"So you'll sneak around behind his back, instead?"

"_No_!" she cried automatically, before she realized what she was doing and hung her head in shame. "Yes. I just... When I'm with him, I feel _comfortable_. I feel like I'm loved, like I'm cared for. He's my best friend."

"You sound like you're describing a dog."

"Shut up," she snapped. "You just can't accept the fact that I could ever love someone else." He didn't respond to her harsh words, and she didn't apologize. "He asked me to marry him, and I said yes," she went on, wringing her hands uncertainly. "I gave him my word... It's not a promise to be taken lightly."

"Marry _me_, then, Katara."

She spun around to face him dizzily. "Wh-what?" she stammered.

He got to his feet, taking her hands in his. "Marry _me_. Pick _me._"

She was blown away by his fervor, his impulsive words. "But I... I..."

"Say yes."

She blinked in confusion, struggling to make sense of the chaotic thoughts clouding her mind. And then she snatched her hands away. "_No_."

"No?"

She took a step back. "No. You betrayed me. You don't _deserve_ that kind of promise from me."

"Katara-"

"I don't want to hear any more about this," she interrupted him firmly. "I'm _going_ to marry him. I _will_ be his wife. And as for you... Well, I hope you find some way to achieve happiness in your life."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode from the room, leaving him, and all the doubts and inner turmoil that came with him, behind.

**A/N: Oh, no! Looks like it's over for Mystery Man #1!**

**NOT :)**

**That would be too easy, and hardly dramatic at all.**

**Reeeeeeview. Who do you think it is, now?**

**I promise I will tell you... soon enough.**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	5. Chapter 5

Her thoughts were so twisted, her mind so thoroughly distracted, that she did not notice the figure hastening towards her until she collided with her fiancé.

"Whoa, slow down, there..." He reached out an arm to steady her.

She looked up at him in apprehensive surprise. "I'm sorry," she blurted.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" His eyes crinkled in a concerned gaze, and she blushed furiously.

"For... for... running into you..." she managed weakly, rubbing at her forehead.

He chuckled. "If every person that ever ran into me was you, I'd be the happiest man alive."

It ate away at her, the depths of his love for her. She felt selfish and ashamed.

When she didn't respond, he kissed her forehead lightly. "I've been looking for you, actually. I heard you had another fitting with Sachi this morning."

Katara groaned. "Yes. I did."

He shook his head, smiling down at her. "I'm sorry about the dress. I know it's not really _you_, but... it's just tradition... you know?"

She nodded numbly. She was fully aware of the bothersome demands of tradition. It was turning this entire wedding into a nightmare. She was just a lost and simple girl from the Southern Water Tribe who only desired a small affair, with just the closest friends and family. It seemed that she would not be getting her wish. From the moment that Sachi stepped into her life, with her inestimable bolts of bright, happy fabric and ribbons and lace, she knew that this wedding would be anything _but_ simple.

But he was a person in a prominently public position, and nothing less would be expected from him.

"Hey." He lifted her chin, lowering himself until they were eye to eye. "Is something bothering you? I mean, besides the wedding. You just haven't seemed... yourself."

It literally _hurt_ to lie to him. She couldn't do it. Turning, she gently pulled herself from his grasp. "It's just... a lot... There's a lot going on all at once," she excused herself lamely.

He nodded thoughtfully. "I know. Again, I'm truly sorry. But... I just can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I hope you know that."

Her heart shattered in her chest. _This_ was what she wanted, wasn't it? He loved her so much, she could hardly stand it. Being with him... she could have anything at all, anything in the entire world, that she wanted. Including and especially his undying love.

She'd be a fool to reject such a perfect present.

She was a fool.

"I don't... I mean..." She sighed in weary defeat. "Yes."

He eyed her quizzically, seemingly searching her expression for any kind of sign as to what she might be _really_ thinking. "Katara, what's-"

"Hey guys."

_**Him**_. How dare he interrupt them when they were sharing a private moment?

Her fiancé did not seem to mind at all, however. "Good morning," he greeted the intruder. "I hope you've been enjoying your stay."

"Oh I am," _**he**_ said, with entirely too much enthusiasm. "Katara has been quite the hospitable guest."

She felt her heart sink from her chest, down her legs, through her toes, and into the floor beneath her feet. She wanted to throttle him but couldn't summon the energy required. But neither man seemed to notice.

"I'm glad," he replied with genuine concern, though he surreptitiously slipped his hand into Katara's. She saw _**his**_ eyes flicker and knew _**he'd**_ seen.

"Uh, thanks again, in case I haven't already said it." _**He**_ rubbed at the back of his neck, something she knew _**he**_ did out of nervousness. She smirked in twisted satisfaction. _Good_. _**He**_ deserved it.

"Well... I'll be going now. I, uh, promised Toph we'd practice sparring this morning. She's been complaining about having nothing to do."

Her fiancé laughed lightly. "I imagine so. Good luck with that," he said with a grin.

_**He**_ nodded, his eyes meeting Katara's for just a second, before he moved past them down the hallway. She contained the shiver that threatened to run down her spine.

He turned to her, a question she neither wanted to hear or answer written in his eyes. "Are you really okay with him being here?" he asked. "I know I said he should be here, because he... well... but if it's not okay with you..."

She took a deep breath and released it slowly, formulating a response in her mind. "That's neither here nor there. It's you I've chosen to marry."

His eyes clouded, though only momentarily, but she did not fail to discern this. "That's not exactly the most reassuring response, Katara," he muttered.

She took his head in her hands and peered up at him with what she hoped was an earnest, loving gaze. "I love _you_. I chose _you_. Nothing else matters."

Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, which soon grew into a warm, amorous embrace that wrapped her up in the summery light of his love.

And yet, inside, at her very core, she felt a nagging emptiness, an emptiness that even his greatest, deepest love could not fill.

**A/N: Okay.**

**I won't string you along much longer.**

**Although it **_**is**_** kinda fun. Bad me!**

**Are you getting more ideas? Figuring out who'll she be with in the end? I didn't want to give it away *yet* so I used the bold/italics **_**he**_** to better differentiate between MM#1 and MM#2, in case y'all didn't catch that ;)**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey!"

"Stop following me."

"Hang on just a second..."

Katara whirled around to face her follower. "I got tired of hanging on a long time ago."

His scowling face showed that he didn't appreciate her sour but well-deserved words. "I saw you."

"What?"

"I saw you kiss him. You didn't mean it."

His accusation caught her off guard. "D-Don't pretend to know me," she faltered uncertainly.

Her hesitation elicited a smile from him. "I _do_ know you. I know you all too well."

"I'm tired of talking in circles-"

"And I am, too." He sighed heavily, dropping the smile. "Listen. _Please_. Just one last time, and then... then you don't have to hear from me ever again. I just need you to know how I feel."

Katara rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I already know," she scoffed.

"_No_," he defied her sternly, leveling his gaze at her as he moved towards her. "You do not." She shivered under his intense stare, feeling her resolve weaken. And so she allowed him to speak. "Ever since the day we met... Well, I can't say that it was love at first sight, now that I know what love really is. But there was something about you... you caught my attention. And when we started travelling together, I got to know you more..."

She began to squirm uncomfortably as he took another determined step towards her. One more step, and she'd be against the wall - again. Not exactly a comfortable position, considering what had happened the last time...

"And when you healed me... after Azula struck me with lightning... I can't describe what I felt for you. Yeah, I guess part of it was gratitude, but really... that's when I knew... I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

Katara couldn't breathe. She couldn't even think straight. And now that her back was pressed hard against the wall, now that she had nowhere to go, now that she could feel his hot breath against her cheek... she couldn't be fully certain that she was marrying the right man.

"But... but... you... you left," she stammered weakly. "You left me..."

"It wasn't a good time for us to be together. You know that. I wouldn't have _left_ if I had known..."

"But you _did_, anyway! You left and you - you broke my heart!" she snapped with a gust of emotion.

Silence.

She was just as shocked as he was at her outburst, though she did her best to mask her surprise.

He was quiet for a moment, stepping back and thoughtfully considering what she had said. "I'm sorry, Katara. I wish I could make it up to. I really wish I could," he apologized slowly, hanging his head.

She had no wind left in her. She had nothing else to say. "You can't. I'm going to keep my promise, and I'm going to marry him because he's a good man, and I..." She lifted her chin resolutely, praying that he would not be able to detect her slight trembling. "I love him." It was hard to ignore the tear that her confession brought to his eye, but she pressed on. "And a long time ago, I got over you, and I refuse to go back. This past week has been... nice, but it was just infatuation. I... I don't love you anymore. And I'm sorry."

He looked as if he had taken a hit to the chest. She used his momentary vulnerability to slip past him and down the hall. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest, but she dared not look back. If she looked back, if she saw the hurt in his eyes, if she heard the plea in his voice, she would be forced to admit to her lie.

And that was something she simply could not do.

**A/N: I was kinda considering revealing at least one of the guys in this chapter, but I decided against it because... well, I'm just a mean old hag. Though I felt bad about not updating so here's my crappy little chapter. Hee.**

**BUT I gave you a monstrous clue, one that I won't reference here - because if you missed it, then too bad ; ) But it pretty much narrows it down.**

**Happy reviewing, oh lovable followers of mine!**

**(P.S. OKAYYY I reveal who's who in the next chapter... so if this is your first time reading, please at least review and humor me by taking a stab at who these mystery men are. I'll give you a cookie! [That's a total lie, don't listen to me.] And be prepared for the dun-dun-DUN! moment coming up...)**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey!" He paused in the hallway, thinking the interjection was meant for him. When he turned, however, he saw no one following him.

"Stop following me." Katara's voice. She was talking to _**him**_.

"Hang on just a second..."

"I got tired of hanging on a long time ago." His heart skipped a beat at her words, and despite his misgivings, he took a step towards the voices, edging along the hall until he reached the intersection of walkways. A quick peek around the corner confirmed that the two of them were facing off in the middle of the hallway. He quickly hid himself again.

"I saw you."

"What?"

"I saw you kiss him. You didn't mean it." _Didn't mean it?_ he pondered, deeply insulted. How dare _**he**_ insinuate that Katara didn't-

"D-Don't pretend to know me." His heart dropped at the hesitation, the uncertainty in her words. He froze, his back pushed against the wall, focusing on controlling his breathing so as not to be detected.

"I _do_ know you. I know you all too well."

"I'm tired of talking in circles-"

"And I am, too." A heavy sigh to punctuate his thoughts. "Listen. _Please_. Just one last time, and then... then you don't have to hear from me ever again. I just need you to know how I feel."

"I'm sure I already know."

"_No_. You do not. Ever since the day we met... Well, I can't say that it was love at first sight, now that I know what love really is. But there was something about you... you caught my attention. And when we started travelling together, I got to know you more... And when you healed me... after Azula struck me with lightning... I can't describe what I felt for you. Yeah, I guess part of it was gratitude, but really... that's when I knew... I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you."

A weight silence ensues, crushing his chest like the weight of a Komodo rhino. Fighting the former Fire Lord had been easier than listening to this... easier than hearing _**his**_ confession of love for his own fiancée.

"But... but... you... you left." Her voice is weak when she speaks at last, lacking conviction. "You left me..."

"It wasn't a good time for us to be together. You know that. I wouldn't have _left_ if I had known..."

"But you _did_, anyway! You left and you - you broke my heart!"

He couldn't stand it anymore. He could not subject himself to any further torture. Before his lungs collapsed in his chest, he took off down the hall, blocking their desperate, strained voices out of his mind.

_He_ had won - Katara was supposed to be _his_. She had promised him - she told him she loved him - they were supposed to be getting married! And Aang - _Aang_ had left her, all those years ago, without a word, without a reason. How could he simply just waltz back into her life without any notice and steal her heart back?

_Easy. He's the Avatar. And I'm just the Fire Lord._

He wiped his tumbling, messy thoughts from his mind as he pushed his way into the palace conference room. Not failing to notice the belligerent expression on his face, not a single one of his advisors breathed a word as he stormed to his usual place at the head of the conference table and slammed himself into his chair.

"Well," he grumbled darkly, glaring up at the surprised faces before him, "shall we begin?"

**A/N: OKAY! I DID it! Are you guys happy? Lol I was rather surprised at the SIX reviews I got within moments of posting the most recent, short as it was, update.**

**And so I decided to come clean.**

**And I wonder how many of you are disappointed... Hmmm... I'm sure I shall hear about it ; ) ANYWAY, this story has been good clean fun, though I'm hardly finished. Feel free to stick around, if you'd like to see how it ends. If you'd rather not, I get that too A good majority of stories on this site are Zutarian - I haven't failed to notice... Hee.**

**Ahhhh well. Share your love/hate. I love em both, not gonna lie.**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	8. Chapter 8

Zuko didn't come find her at the conclusion of his meeting, as he usually did. At first she reasoned that it must have taken longer than expected, but the minutes turned to hours, and she knew the explanation couldn't be so simple. Fear rose in her chest like burning reflux, but she pushed the nagging feeling away. He couldn't know about Aang. And besides, it was done. Her decision had been made.

When he didn't show for dinner, she became worried. Maybe he had taken ill. And she was all too eager to excuse herself from the awkward conversation to which she had been subjected at dinner time, seated directly between Sokka and Aang.

She knocked hesitantly on his bedchamber door, not wanting to wake him if he was ill and perhaps sleeping. But no, she was answered by a gruff voice, "Who is it?"

"Zuko," she said softly, "it's me."

Silence.

She anxiously shifted her weight as she waited for a response, but none came. "Are you okay?" she probed at last.

"I'm fine," was his terse reply.

She faltered. "You... you didn't come to dinner so I..."

"I didn't feel like eating - is that such a crime?"

Zuko never, ever spoke to her this way. Something was terribly wrong. "Zuko?" She was answered by another dreadful silence. "I'm coming in," she declared, forcing a false boldness into her voice which she could not sincerely summon.

He sat on his bed, facing away from her, staring blankly out the window. She shut the door behind her quietly. He didn't flinch. She found she was suddenly overwhelmingly nervous as she crossed his bedroom floor, but it was too late to turn back now.

She sat gingerly next to him on the bed. "Zuko... talk to me. Please." She placed a gentle hand on his, but he pulled away. _He knows_, she realized, her heart sinking in her chest.

"How could you do this to me, Katara?" he growled at last.

"Zuko, I..."

"I love you. I trusted you. I invited him here because you said it was okay." He turned to face her, finally, and she did not fail to recognize the tears pooling in his angry eyes. "But you still have feelings for him."

"Please, let me explain-"

"Explain what, Katara?"His steely gaze unnerved her. "How long have you two... I mean, what have you..."

Now it was her turn to avoid his gaze. "We... we kissed," she admitted, hanging her head.

"You kissed?" he bellowed in hurt surprise. "Just once?"

She dropped her gaze to the floor shamefully. "No. It was more."

Zuko made a small noise as if he had been socked in the gut. "You... In my palace?"

The guilt was beginning to crush her. She nodded lamely, biting her lip to supress the hot tears pricking at her eyelids.

"You... I..." His hands fell to his lap with a heavy _thud_. "I don't even know who you are, Katara."

"Zuko, _please_-" she begged, bringing her eyes up to meet his. The blank pain she saw reflected there was unbearable.

"It - us - everything... it was all just a lie," he muttered incredulously.

"No!" she cried. "Zuko, I swear, I love you! I-"

"If you _loved_ me, you never would have thrown yourself at him - and under my own roof!"

"That's not how it happened!"

"How, then?" he spat, his glowing amber eyes holding a fiery wrath she has never before seen.

She choked on her words, unsure of where to begin. "I... He... I told him I couldn't... anymore. Zuko, I told him I had no feelings for him - that I love you, that I want to marry you!"

"Did you have sex with him?"

She blinked, taken aback at his blunt question. "What?"

"_Did_ you?"

"No!" she insisted, rather hurt by his implication. "No, I... I was waiting... for you. I was waiting to marry you. I still am."

He let out a disbelieving huff, shaking his head at her desperate words. "I don't know, Katara."

The same cold, creeping fear rose in her throat again. "You don't know what? What don't you know?"

"Us." He looked up at her, his eyes now tired and defeated. "I don't know about this wedding."

Now it was she who felt as if she had taken a punch to the gut. "What are you saying?" He didn't answer immediately. She placed a shaking hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her away. "Zuko?"

"You should go. Right now. Just... get out." She wanted to stay, wanted to plea and beg and fight, but he turned to look at her, and she saw the truth written across his face. "Now."

She couldn't breathe; she couldn't hardly think. But somehow her legs found strength, and she made her way to the door. Before she stepped out of his room, she turned to gaze at him one more time. "I love you, Zuko," she whispered. His shoulders slumped, and she quickly slipped out of the room.

**A/N: Well well well. Was that worth the wait? I broke my laptop charger almost two dang months ago, BUT I have found a word processor on my wicked awesome Android phone. (Hiatus: explained.) Sorry =/ I'm working on getting a new one... As soon as I find my bank card. Gahhh.**

**Sigh. And things aren't looking so well for our heroes. No worries. I think I can make em all get some happy back! ;)**

**XOXO, **

**Penny**


	9. Chapter 9

She wasn't sure where she was going or what she was supposed to do. He knew, and he was rightfully angry, and he would most likely call off the wedding.

She was having trouble remembering how to breathe.

"Katara-"

"Get away from me." She didn't slow down to acknowledge Aang's presence.

"Wait, I... What's wrong?" He stumbled, hurrying alongside her in effort to keep pace with her.

"He knows," she choked out helplessly. She wouldn't cry in front of Aang. She refused.

"He... knows...?" Aang echoed blankly.

She came to a screeching halt, whirling on her ex so fast that he nearly ran into her. "Yes. And now he's probably going to call off the wedding. Are you happy, Aang? Are you satisfied?"

His face twisted with a sort of pain as he reached out for her. "Katara. I never wanted for you to get hurt-"

She swatted his hand away. "NO. You wanted _Zuko_ to get hurt."

"That's not true-"

"Then what is it you wanted, Aang?" she cried, throwing her arms in the air.

He watched her carefully for a moment, choosing his words. "You," he said at last.

Katara laughed bitterly. "I'm so sure. Are you sure you weren't out to prove you are the better guy?"

Aang shook his head sadly. "I made a mistake. I was young and stupid. I didn't know how to handle my feelings for you. And I needed time to grow up."

"You could have told me, Aang! I would have waited!"

He shook his head again. "No. I wanted you to be happy. I didn't want you to waste your life waiting on me."

"So you ran like a coward, without a word?" she pressed. "And then when I _did_ find happiness, you wanted to take it away?"

"I messed up, Katara! I told you that! I didn't know what else to do!"

Katara could feel her heart breaking in half. "I love him. I was happy with him. And now..." She shook her head, struggling against the heavy weight that had settled on her chest. "I don't know what's going to happen."

Aang took her hand, gazing down at her earnestly. "I'm so sorry, Katara. But you have to know how much I love you. And I know that you still love me."

Katara's shoulders sagged helplessly as she stared up at him. He hand slipped out of his grasp. "I loved you, Aang. I did. But you left me. And you lost that chance. I'm just sorry that I've been too stupid to see it."

Aang's face fell. "You can't mean that." She looked down, avoiding his needy eyes. "Katara. You don't mean that."

He took a step towards her, but she held up her arms to block him. "Just... stay away from me. Please. Okay?"

Without daring to glance up at him again, she turned on her heel and walked away from him, ignoring the burning ache in her chest.

**A/N: Sighhhhh.**

**So I know I promised some happy, but it certainly don't seem to be comin anytime soon ;) Jk. I promise, it's going to get better. And everybody will be happy in the end.**

**Ahhhh. So do tha dang thang. Review. Or you're fired. And I quit.**

**XOXO,**

**Penny**


	10. Chapter 10

Aang left the palace the next day. For reasons she refused to acknowledge, Katara felt an ache in her heart at his sudden absence. Of course, she'd told him to leave her alone, to stay away. But she hadn't quite expected him to leave without saying goodbye.

Zuko busied himself with regular Fire Lord duties, spending entire days in meetings and doing his best, Katara felt, to avoid her. No words were exchanged, and nothing was formally announced, but one by one the wedding planners and dressmakers and decorators and guests disappeared from the palace. After a few days, Katara found it was easier to stay in her room for the better part of the day. She stopped going to the dining hall for her meals because sitting alone at that long table was too painful a reminder of her mistakes.

Even Sokka left her. That, she had to admit, was her own fault. He offered to stay because their father had not yet arrived, and he wondered if she might need the company. But she smiled ruefully and told him to go home to his wife. Suki was probably missing him.

Katara hated to cry. _Especially_ in front of other people. Yet every night, she found herself tossing and turning miserably in her bed, consumed by her heartwrenchingly overwhelming thoughts, until she finally gave in and cried herself to sleep.

On the day she would have wed Zuko, she could take it no longer. She burst into his study, disregarding the palace guards who vainly attempted to detain her. Zuko glanced up from his paperwork, the surprise thoroughly evident on his face, and sighed in resignation. "It's fine, guards. She can stay."

Katara was sure she heard mumbling as the guards left the room. Zuko returned his attention to his paperwork, and she suddenly felt very awkward. All the speeches she had rehearsed in her head as she charged towards his study had vanished from her mind. It was one of the few times in her life that she was genuinely at a loss for words.

She took a deep breath.

"Were you going to ignore me for the rest of your life?" she demanded, struggling to maintain her composure. "I deserve at least some sort of acknowledgement if you... if you don't want to..." She couldn't make herself say it.

Zuko sighed heavily and dropped his writing brush. "I haven't been intentionally ignoring you."

Katara huffed. "Oh really," she said disbelievingly, folding her arms in front of her. "I suppose it's just an accident I haven't seen you in two weeks. That I only get to see you by barging into your study on what would have been our..."

He looked up at last. When their eyes met, she froze. "Katara," he said softly. She didn't know what to say. His eyes seemed tired, almost weary. Quite honestly, he looked as if he hadn't slept in days, with his shaggy dark hair hanging loosely in his face. Katara began to finally notice her surroundings. His office was cluttered and unkempt, unlike its usual pristine organization. And his lunch tray was still sitting on a divan near his desk.

"I..." She wanted to apologize, but she had no idea where to begin and what words she ought to say.

He stood, moving slowly around his desk as he brushed his hair from his eyes. Without a word, he took her hand and guided her to the divan. Carefully, he placed the tray on the floor before pulling her down to sit beside him. The sigh he heaved was long and resigned. She began to feel uneasy.

"Are you breaking up with me?" she blurted before she could stop herself.

Zuko gave her a wry, weak smile. "Katara. You and I..." He paused, casting his eyes to the floor. A weighty silence ensued. Katara focused on her breathing, doing her best to ignore the gnawing in her chest.

"I haven't been... fully honest with you," he finished at last.

Her heart dropped to the floor. "What are you saying?" she pressed immediately, unconsciously tightening her grip on his fingers.

"I told you that I was the one who broke up with Mai... but that's not... exactly how it happened," he began slowly, clearly enunciating each syllable.

"Well? What _did_ happen?" Katara prodded at his lengthy pause.

Zuko sighed again. She was tiring of the sighing quickly. "She left _me_. I proposed, and she told me she wasn't ready. I think I scared her because the next day, she was gone."

Realization began to dawn on Katara slowly. "So when you told me you asked her to leave because you didn't love her anymore..." Her shaky voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. "You were... lying?"

Zuko hung his head. "I didn't want you to think..."

"That I was just a rebound?" Katara finished in a shrill voice, startling Zuko into lifting his head.

"But you _weren't,_" he insisted, his needy eyes begging for understanding. "It's true, you were there for me when I needed it most but... you were more than that."

"I filled an empty hole," she said numbly.

"Well... didn't I do the same for you?"

Katara's eyes flashed as she shook her head vehemently. "NO. Aang and I had been over for almost three years. I had moved past that."

"Are you sure? It seemed to me that you missed him quite a bit."

"Zuko. That's not fair," Katara quavered, her chin trembling uncontrollably.

"Then how would you explain what happened?" he asked her calmly. His steady gaze only served to unnerve her further.

"I... I..." Her thoughts were suddenly too muddled to comprehend. "It meant nothing. He means nothing to me." Even as she said it, she knew it was a lie.

Zuko shook his head. He was not fooled. "You love him, Katara. You always have."

"I love _you_," she corrected him firmly. "I've chosen to spend my life with you. I made you a promise I had no intention of breaking."

"Stop kidding yourself, Katara. If I'm totally honest with you, I still miss Mai," he admitted quietly. "She was my first love. She was by my side through all those bad times, through the war. She stood up to my sister for me."

It almost felt like an assault on Katara's ears, to hear how he really felt about Mai. But she made no move to stop him.

"I... I do love her, I guess," he said as if he himself was surprised by this revelation. "But I threw myself into our relationship that much more so, to make up for the way I still felt for her."

"Am I to understand that..." Katara cleared her throat nervously. "That every time you told me you loved me, you were thinking of her?"

Zuko shook his head firmly. "Not at all, Katara. I do love you," he assured her. "I love you so much... but not as much as you deserve."

She dropped his hands at that moment. It was all too much to process. Had their entire relationship been a farce? How had she not seen it? "I don't believe it..."

Zuko took her chin in his hands, gazing down at her with an intensity that shook her to the core. "Listen to me. If I thought I was what you really wanted - if I really thought I could make you happy for the rest of your life - I would marry you in a heartbeat. And I'd not have a single regret." He kissed her forehead gently to punctuate his words. "But you would not be happy. You would always wonder what if."

Katara's eyes were beginning to burn. "How do you _know_?" she pleaded helplessly.

He answered her with a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. For a moment, she lost her breath. He pulled away, but only barely, and rested his forehead on hers. "Because I know you, Katara. Because I know how it feels. And I love you enough to let you go."

The tears that had been burning her eyes were now threatening to fall. She cradled his head in her hands, desperately pulling him nearer. "Zuko," she whispered urgently. "I... I can't."

She felt his warm hands on her cool, wet cheeks and realized that the tears were, indeed, spilling over. "You can," he told her softly. "You need to."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I don't... I don't want this to be over."

He smiled wryly. "Neither do I. But it's already over."

She kissed him then, hungrily and forcefully, as if trying to prove a point to him. He kissed her back, and though his kiss felt loving, it had a bittersweet taste. And, finally, she knew he was right.

As she slowly pulled away from him, he wiped the tears from her face. "I will always love you, Katara. You know that. But we both know where your heart belongs."

Katara nodded numbly. "I love you, too. I really do."

He took her hands in his again, squeezing gently. "I know. I'm not so foolish as to doubt that." His smile was genuine and strangely calming.

"I... I guess I should go," Katara concluded hesitantly.

"Go," Zuko encouraged her with a slight nod of his head. "And do me a favor, okay? Be happy. Don't settle for anything less. Deal?"

Katara enveloped him in a tight hug, nodding her consent. "Deal."

**A/N: Well. Did you see that coming? I hope not. Cuz if so, I suck at writing. Heh heh heh.**

**I couldn't just leave Zuko all sad and miserable and pining away. I love him too much. So here is our compromise. And yes I recycled a phrase from another of my stories... Hee. I wonder if y'all will catch that... If so I know who my true stalkers are. (And rest assured, I love you back.)**

**BUT the question IS: will our heroes get their happy ending? Hmmmmm... stay tuned!**

**XOXO,**

**Penny**


	11. Chapter 11

The palace was eerily quiet as she entered. Servants shuffled silently through the halls, tending to their duties. She longed to ask any one of them where the Fire Lord was, but they all seemed nervous and flighty. So, instead, she wandered the familiar halls.

Then she smelled something burning. As she continued down the hall, the smell became stronger. She realized she was heading towards the palace courtyard.

She found him in front of what appeared to be a monstrous pile of fluffy, lacy fabric. The flames ate away at the material mercilessly, sending plumes of smoke streaming into the humid, late afternoon air. She said nothing until she finally stepped into place next to him.

"I was hoping you would come." He acknowledged her presence without sparing her so much as a sideways glance.

"I was hoping you would want me to come," she admitted.

A moment of silence. "I missed you," he said at last.

"I missed you, too," she echoed quietly.

His hand found hers, and their fingers intertwined comfortably, easily. "I'm sincerely surprised that she was willing to wear this monstrosity. I know she had to have hated it as much as I did." He sighed thoughtfully. "But that was the basis of our entire relationship. We were pretending."

She allowed a moment for his words to sink in before speaking. "I would never have agreed to wear that thing."

He laughed lightly. "I know. I missed that about you, too."

His honest words struck a chord. "I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely. "I was... I was so afraid... And then when I realized what I'd done..." She hung her head in shame. "I couldn't come back."

He turned to her then. "You were _always_ welcome back. Any time, I would have taken you back."

"Even after you were engaged?" she asked doubtfully.

"Yes," he said firmly, without hesitation. "_Yes._"

She shifted her weight nervously. "I didn't know."

He took her in his arms, holding her tightly to him. "I love you. I always will," he promised. He pushed her away gently, holding her at arm's length. "But don't EVER. Break up with me. Again."

She allowed him half a smile and nuzzled into his shoulder. "I won't. Not ever again."

**A/N: Ahhhhh. They got their happy ending :) Now, as for the other two... Hmmmmm...**

**XOXO,**

**Penny**


	12. Chapter 12

It was a long, exhausting trip. She had to convince a ship captain to drop her off in Air Nomad territory. Most likely, he only agreed because he would be passing by anyway - heading for the Southern Water Tribe - and because, well... she was Katara. She went very few places that people did not know her name. She was a celebrated war hero.

At the moment, however, she felt nothing like a hero. She felt lost and confused. Luckily, she had an entire week at sea to really consider her feelings. She hadn't the slightest idea what she would tell Aang.

_Yeah, well Zuko dumped me, so I guess I'm going to settle for you now. Here I am!_

The fact that he had once left her was only a small consolation. He had been right. Things weren't really working out for them. They were young and too immature for a real relationship, despite everything they had been through together. If she was honest with herself, she was just as much to blame as Aang. She hadn't been very good with arguments between the two, usually resorting to sulking, pouting, feet stomping, yelling, and throwing things. He liked to run - or rather, fly - away when things got too rough, which only served to irritate her to no end. Their relationship had become messy, chaotic. A break had been what they needed.

Unfortunately, when he left with no warning and no explanation, she'd been bitter and hurt and angry and not open to any sort of discussion with him. And then... Zuko had happened. She had really convinced herself that she was happy, that she would be happy with Zuko for the rest of her life. But once Aang returned...

She sighed, leaning heavily on the ship's railing for support as she basked in the warm pink rays of the morning sun. How was she going to handle _this_ reunion? She could only hope that he was really at the Southern Air Temple. If he wasn't, she wasn't quite sure what she would do. Maybe she would just wait for him to return, which he would, inevitably... But what if he didn't return for days, weeks, even months?

She shuddered and pushed the thought from her mind. She would find him. She just _had_ to.

The mountainous shoreline of Air Nomad territory came into view. "No turning back, now," she muttered under her breath.

The captain was unable to bring the large ship all the way to shore, where it became too shallow to navigate. She was given a small canoe, wished good luck, and sent on her way. As she sat in the small canoe looking up at the scenery before her, she suddenly felt very small and incapable. But she took a deep breath, steeled herself, and pushed forward. Even when she reached the shore, she knew her journey was hardly over. There were mountains to climb, and an Air Temple to reach. A temple which was supposedly only accessible by flying bison. _This should be fun_, she mused as she hiked up the rocky paths.

At last she came to the bottom of the temple. It had been cleverly designed, for though she could see the tall spires of the temple reaching into the cloudy sky, it was situated several hundred feet above her on a steep cliff. Katara, though, had a plan. At least she thought she didn't. She wouldn't know until she tried.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled the water from the clouds around her and formed a sort of flat icy spike, driving it deep into the rock mass in front of her. It was just large enough to stand on. She stepped onto the ice gingerly, testing her weight. It held. She exhaled and formed another icy spike from the clouds, wedging it into the cliff in front of her, just about a foot higher than the first. The second step held her weight as well.

This was working, but it was definitely going to take some time.

By the time she reached the top, it was dark outside. She was exhausted, and she was absolutely starving. The Air Temple was eerily quiet and still. A cool breeze rustled through the trees around her, sending a shiver down her spine. She was too far now to just give up.

She crept into the Air Temple, almost too afraid to make a sound, though she knew Aang would probably sense her footsteps way before she even laid eyes on him. The temple had been cleaned up since her last visit. She didn't realize how much effort Aang had already put into its restoration. She imagined it must look very much like it did when Aang was a young boy learning to Airbend in these same halls.

She did not find him in his old bedroom, which was her first guess as to his location, but she did not give up hope. She continued down the dim hall quietly, keeping one hand against the wall to steady herself.

At last, she saw a light ahead - a dim light, but a light all the same. It was coming from his former master's bed chambers. She found him sitting at the balcony when she entered the room. He was facing away from her, looking down at his surroundings as if in deep thought. She almost hated to interrupt him. Almost.

She was just about to call his name when he spoke. "Why are you here, Katara?"

His words pierced her. _Why are you here?_ Didn't he want her here? Didn't he miss her? She was suddenly very unsure of herself. "I... I was looking for you."

He turned around, and she saw the fatigue and weariness clouding his gray eyes. "It looks like you found me," he stated dully before turning back to gaze out at the clouds.

She couldn't really blame him. Her last words to him had been, _I loved you, Aang. I did. But you left me. And you lost that chance. I'm just sorry that I've been too stupid to see it... Stay away from me. Please._ She'd hurt him. She knew she hurt him - bad. At the time, she had felt completely justified in her callousness, but now she wasn't so sure. And now she, Katara herself, was at a loss for words. She crossed the room to the balcony and leaned on the banister next to him. For a long while, the pair stood in silence. "I'm not marrying Zuko," she said at last.

"Hmm," was his only answer.

"He's in love with Mai," she added tiredly.

Aang was quiet for a moment. "I'm sure that hurt quite a bit," he allowed with a small measure of sympathy.

"Not really." She shook her head. "I didn't understand why. But now I know."

"Hmm," he grunted again.

She placed a hand on his arm. "Aang... Please," she whispered desperately, tears beginning to shine in her bright blue eyes. He turned to her, looked down at her miserable expression, and immediately softened.

"Katara..."

"I'm sorry," she interrupted. "I was wrong to say what I did. I was scared, and I was confused, and I... I wasn't thinking. About your feelings or Zuko's, I just wasn't thinking at all." She was beginning to babble, but she didn't care. He was listening. "I wanted you back, I really did, but I wanted that security that I had with Zuko. We didn't argue; we didn't fight. He didn't make me want to freeze him to the wall. He wasn't going to leave me without telling me why. But he didn't make me _feel_."

Aang trailed a warm finger down the side of her cheek, making her breath catch in her throat. She reached up and grasped his hand tightly. "I _missed_ you," she breathed shakily. "I... I love you."

His shoulders sagged as he exhaled heavily. For a moment, she thought he might collapse, but he caught himself. And then he caught her. It felt amazingly good to have his arms around her, to feel his warm breath against her ear, to be buried against his chest once again. "I've missed hearing that," he whispered huskily. "I've missed you, too."

Katara let out the breath she'd been unconsciously holding. "I'm so sorry," she apologized sincerely.

"I'm sorry. The way things ended... I... I could have done better. I _should_ have. I should have given us another chance."

She shook her head against his soft robes. "It wasn't all your fault. It was never all your fault."

He ran a hand through her thick, brown hair, kissing the top of her head. "Just promise me you're here to stay this time."

She smiled in satisfied contentment, her body aches, muscle pains, and empty stomach suddenly all forgotten. "I promise."

**A/N: My muse is a horribly treacherous creature. I get my laptop charger, and she abandons me. I think it's because I've been pushing her too hard and taking for granted her generosity in the past few weeks. I suppose now she's staged a coup ****d'état. That fickle jerk.**

**At any rate, here is my short little forced update. I say forced because I churned this out without the help of said muse. So I don't feel like I did a good job. Plus I'm too tired to edit. So if you see typos or grammar booboos... ahhh well. Though I'm thinking I don't want to end here. Perhaps one more chapter, just to wrap things up.**

**I like things wrapped up nice and pretty, like a present, with a big fat bow on top.**

**Well, you know what to do. Review. Tell me what you think. Moar?**

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	13. Chapter 13

She watched him as he slept, tracing the curve of his jawbone with her finger. He was so handsome, even when he completely oblivious to his surroundings, lost in a deep sleep. She sighed as she remembered what it had taken for them to get this far. Hearts had been hurt, and loved ones had been betrayed. Part of her hated to say it had been worth it. But it was the truth. She couldn't imagine what life would be like, growing old with Zuko, raising children with Zuko, being Fire Lady to Zuko's Fire Lord. It simply wasn't _her_. She had allowed herself to believe that she would be happy, and perhaps, to some extent, she could have made herself happy. But none of that could ever compare to... _Aang_.

He stirred beneath her touch, and she withdrew her hand. She didn't want to wake him. Not yet. For when he awoke, she would have some life-changing news to share. She wanted to remember him in this blissful innocence. She wanted to capture this moment.

Miles away, in the Fire Nation, Zuko and Mai had wasted hardly any time in getting engaged and subsequently getting married. People had talked. She'd known they would. But in the year since their wedding ceremony, talk had died down. Katara had found herself unable to attend. It was still hard, at least back then. Her feelings for Zuko were still very fresh and very real, and watching him promise himself to another woman was more discomfort than she cared to handle. Never mind that Aang still hadn't quite forgiven Zuko for nearly snatching Katara away from him forever. Of course, since then, they had all reconciled, and there was finally peace between the friends once again.

Katara and Aang had taken their time, spending a couple months in isolation at the Air Temple. They need time for reconnecting and learning about each other all over again. They were very careful, however, keeping to their own rooms at night and separating from each other when things got a bit too steamy. And then they had relocated to the Southern Water Tribe. It was still a few more months before Aang even proposed, kneeling down in the middle of the village, for all to see, and presenting her with a hand-carved betrothal necklace.

Within just another few months, they were married in a simple but sweet Water Tribe ceremony with their dearest loved ones present... save for Zuko and Mai, of course. Their wedding night... had been nothing short of _amazing_. Then, once again, they escaped away to the Air Temple to savor their newlywed status in solitude. The days were filled with love and kisses and play, and the nights... she bit her lip and shuddered just recalling the previous evening. Aang was an attentive and animated lover. She fell asleep in his arms every night, more than sated and fully content with their life together.

Perhaps it was because of their constant amorousness that she found herself in her current position.

She couldn't resist a light giggle at the thought.

His gray eyes slowly fluttered open and soon found hers. "Good morning, beautiful," he greeted her drowsily.

She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek. "Aang. I have news for you," she informed him, for she could hardly stand to wait any longer.

He pushed himself up onto his elbows and rubbed his eyes in attempt to gain focus. "Oh, really? Do tell."

She bit her lip to contain her smile, but it was no use. "Aang... You're going to be a father."

She watched as the words settled upon his ears and gradually made their way to his brain. When it finally registered, his face flushed and his eyes widened. "You mean...?"

The grin had taken over her entire face at this point. She nodded eagerly. "Yes," she laughed.

"Oh, Katara...!" And then she was in his arms, and he was pushing her back on the bed, and his mouth found hers, and she lost all sense and thought. "You mean it?" he asked breathlessly, parting their lips for just a moment. "Really?"

She nodded again and wrapped her arms around his neck. "_Really_."

"Katara..." His lips pressed against her with an urgency she had grown to recognize. "Katara," he repeated, moving his attention to her neck. The kisses he lay upon her collarbone sent a shiver down her spine. "Katara..." His kisses turned into light nibbles along her shoulder.

She knew this was supposed to be sexy. And yet she couldn't contain her laughter. Aang looked up at her in surprise. "I'm sorry," she apologized through her merriment. "It's just... we're going to be a family!"

He grinned and brought his mouth back to hers once more. "Yes," he whispered, winding his fingers through her thick brown hair. "We're a family. And you... you amaze me. I love you, Katara."

She snuggled into his embrace and smiled against his skin. "I love you too, Aang."

**A/N: Thought it was over, didn't ya?! :D Well, be on the lookout cuz I'm about to do the same thing to Korra... muahaha :D Well, you guys asked for it!**

_**Fin!**_

**XOXO,  
Penny**


	14. Ohhhh yeah

**Did I not warn you I'd be at it again?**

**Here we go - with Korra now! Keep your guesses coming. You know I love it.**

fanfiction - dot - net /s/8639888/1/Forbidden-Part-Two

**XOXO,  
Penny**


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